The Environment Act 1995 Part IV established a statutory framework for
local air quality management in the UK. The legislation placed a duty
upon local authorities to undertake an air quality review and assessment
which resulted in Neath and Port Talbot County Borough Council making
the Taibach/Margam Air Quality Management Area (PM10) Order 2000. This
designated an area of Taibach/Margam as an Air Quality Management Area
(AQMA) on 13th June 2000, operative on 1st July 2000.

An AQMA is an area where air pollution is expected to be above the
National Air Quality Standards and where people could be exposed to air
pollution. Actions must be identified to reduce the pollution in these
areas in order to attempt to resolve the problem. As the As air quality
improves the AQMA may be reduced in size or removed completely.